Second Chances
by Neo the Saiyan angel
Summary: Drakken was standing alone on a balcony, nursing a drink, when a familiar couple showed up to have a heart-to-heart with him.


"Drew."

Drakken looked up from his bright yellow drink, startled. He was currently at a hoity-toity smart person party trying to fit in. The operative word being 'trying'. At the moment he was recovering mentally as he was _once again_ ignored from his attempt to join a conversation. It was in a penthouse, so Drakken had gone outside onto the balcony where he was now leaning over the railing. He'd been so busy feeling sorry for himself he didn't notice he was being snuck up on until his civilian name was said.

Then he scowled.

"_Oh_." He glowered over at them. "Hello, James and Kimberly's...not-sister."

"Hello," James said cheerily as who must be Kimberly Anne's mother giggled to herself. To Drakken's annoyance, James also began leaning over the railing, looking at the traffic below. He seemed to be thinking about something.

Drakken swiftly turned his head and began staring holes in his drink. Great! As if the night wasn't already bad! Now his pity party was raided by _James_ of all people. James and his picture-perfect wife. It stung every time he saw James and what he had now. Because they used to—

That was in the past! Completely meaningless! Pointless to think about! James probably didn't even _remember_.

"I miss us."

Drakken's hand tensed around his glass. Then, snarkily, he replied, "Miss having a verbal punching bag? Someone to look down on and lord your perfect life over?"

"No." James moved his hand and rested it on Drakken's arm. "_Us_."

Drakken bristled. Then he growled, sneering at James as he wrestled his arm free, "Oh, so no more smart mouth? No more insults? No more mocking me?"

"I was making fun of _Drakken_. The supervillain. My Kimmie-cub's arch-foe. You aren't really Drakken any more, are you?" James had a sparkle in his eyes. "You accepted the pardon. You aren't a villain anymore."

"I'm still not a nice man!" Drakken sniped in reply.

"We don't have a problem with you being a _bad boy. _In fact, that could be fun!" Drakken resisted turning his head to his right to look at James' wife.

Great. A pincer maneuver.

"Nnnngh..." Drakken snorted, trying to recover mentally from the interruption in his anger. "I don't care!" He took a quick drink of his citrus-y, letting himself grasp onto the words he needed, before he said, "You hurt me! Even before being a villain!" To his annoyance he felt tears welling up. Squashing it with fury, he snarled, "The Bebes, for one! And—!"

He cut himself off. James wouldn't care about that. He hadn't cared when he broke it off, he wouldn't care now.

"And...and I was wrong." James heaved a heavy sigh. "I was immature back then. I only cared about me. I was selfish with the Bebes and..._before_. When we were..." He pointed back and forth between himself and Drakken.

"Oh, so you _remember _that now?"

"With a little help," the redhead murmured.

"Hmph!" Drakken gave James an evil eye. "So what? You want me to just, just _forgive_ you that easily? Pretend things are back to the normal of college?"

"I understand if you don't want to right now. But could I at least have the chance to prove that I'm sorry? Show that I still care about you, Drew?"

Drakken again returned to looking at his drink. He knew _exactly_ what James was asking. He wasn't an idiot. It seemed like the couple wanted to spice up their love life by adding a third. So much for a basic, average family.

But...

But that meant that the offer was genuine. They _wanted_ Drakken, romantically. And as much as James had hurt him, Drakken still, even then, missed James down to his core. Even having a piece of what they had before would make Srakken happy.

He sighed. The choice to make was obvious.

Fighting down the fear of getting a snappy comeback of some sort, Drakken offered, "I can't forgive you right now...but...but I'm willing to..._try_."

"Oh good!" James' wife gave Drakken a joyous hug. Sneakily she stage whispered, "James was _so_ worried you would completely reject him."

"_Anne_," James whined. "Is that really relevant?"

"Not really. But it _is_ cute!"

James blushed.

And, as always, it was absolutely adorable. Drakken suppressed the smile on his face by drinking a sip of his drink.

Anne suddenly held something out to Drakken. "Here. James said it was your favorite."

He took the proffered item with some wonder.

A daffodil. James remembered, even after all these years, that he loved daffodils. His chest felt warm and full. He couldn't help but look at James with a goofy smile on his face.

The abashed smile he got back made him remember back to the first time James presented him with a bouquet of daffodils. It had been a bright spot on a day full of disappointment.

Maybe, just maybe, he could forgive James after all.


End file.
